uttam anand

Dhanbad Judge Murder Probe: Jharkhand HC Reprimands CBI For Slow Progress Once Again

Seeking time to come out with “new facts”, the CBI told a division bench of the HC that it has questioned as many as 200 people in the past couple of months to unearth the identity of those responsible for killing the judge.

Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court on Friday, January 7 reprimanded the CBI yet again for the tardy progress of the probe into the murder of Dhanbad judge, Uttam Anand and directed it to file an affidavit on the new developments in the investigation.

Seeking time to come out with “new facts”, the CBI told a division bench of the high court that it had questioned as many as 200 people in the past couple of months to unearth the identity of those responsible for the killing of the judge.

Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad posted the matter for further hearing on January 14 and directed the CBI to furnish the affidavit on the new developments as mentioned by it.

Anand, an additional sessions and district judge, was run over by a auto rickshaw in the early hours of July 28 last year while he was out on his morning walk. The entire incident was captured on a CCTV camera installed by the Dhanbad district administration and had shocked the judiciary across the country. The Jharkhand high court has been monitoring the case from the beginning and has kept close tabs on the CBI investigation.

Also read: ‘Report After Report’: Jharkhand HC Once Again Pulls up CBI Over Dhanbad Judge Murder Probe

Earlier, too, the bench had conveyed its dismay on the poor pace of investigation. In December, it had said that the agency has been filing multiple reports but was unable to give plausible explanation for the events leading up to the murder. It had pulled up the CBI on multiple occasions.

In October, the HC had said that the investigating agency’s chargesheet in the case was like a “novel” and it had failed to substantiate the murder charge against the two accused persons.

On October 22, it had said the agency seems to have worked like babus (clerks) while completing the probe and had filed a “stereotype” chargesheet.

The CBI, on its part, had earlier assured the court several times that the investigation in the case was on in full swing and that the connections of the two accused with several persons was being explored to link them with Anand’s murder.

The Supreme Court had directed the Jharkhand high court to monitor the investigation in the case.

(PTI)

Delhi Police Downgraded Security Cover of Retired Officers, Judges Following Audit: Report

Though a detailed report claimed the audit ordered by the Delhi police commissioner found 535 officers deployed with those who faced no threat, there has not been official confirmation of the news so far.

New Delhi: The Delhi police has withdrawn or downgraded the security of several of its former officers, retired judges and other officials following an audit that was conducted on the directions of commissioner Rakesh Asthana. The decision, as per an Indian Express report, was taken after the Supreme Court directed an assessment of officers posted with security units.

The report, citing sources in the Delhi police, said the apex court directed the assessment as it wanted the police to provide security cover to its own judges as also those of the high court following the killing of Dhanbad additional sessions judge Uttam Anand under suspicious circumstances.

Subsequently, an audit was undertaken by the police which revealed that 535 officers were deployed with former commissioners, politicians, retired officers and judges with regard to whom there was no threat perception. The police then reviewed the security of these persons and either withdrew or reduced the number of officers deployed with them.

The personnel thus freed from such security duties would be re-deployed for law and order or policing tasks. There have been several developments in Delhi that have necessitated a redrawing of priorities as far as the deployment of security personnel is concerned.

Following a shootout in a Delhi court last week, the Delhi high court had called for improving the safety of and security at district courts. The requirement of officers at the borders and around sensitive buildings and installations has also increased in view of the ongoing farmers’ agitation, which though largely peaceful, had witnessed violence on Republic Day.

According to the report, the audit had revealed that more than the sanctioned number of officers were deployed in personal security duties. Against a sanctioned strength of 5,465 officers with the security units, 6,828 had been deployed.

A source, cited by the Indian Express, was also quoted as saying that many of these officers were deployed with former police commissioners, retired judges and retired police officers who were not really at great risk. It was also stated that in some cases, retired commissioners had around 15 officers deployed with them. Also, many of the officers were attached to these officers and judges when they were in active service.

Though an audit for assessing the threat perception of the protectees is mandated every six months as per the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines, it was also revealed that the Delhi police had not carried out any such exercise in more than two years. The report also said that the officers whose security has been downgraded include those of the Special Cell, which deals with a large number of anti-terror cases.

The Wire has asked the Delhi police spokesperson Chinmoy Biswal for the details of the officers and judges whose security has been withdrawn or downgraded and the story will be updated as a when a response is received. Meanwhile, another spokesperson of the Delhi police said they have not received any official confirmation regarding the security audit.

Dhanbad Judge Was Intentionally Hit by Autorickshaw, CBI Tells Jharkhand HC

The bench observed that the case has shaken the morale of the judiciary.

Ranchi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the death case of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand, told the Jharkhand high court on Thursday that the driver of the autorickshaw intentionally hit the judge.

The CBI, during the hearing of the case on a virtual platform, said a probe is underway to find out who all are involved in the conspiracy.

The 49-year-old district judge was mowed down by a heavy autorickshaw while he was out jogging near Randhir Verma Chowk in Dhanbad on the morning of July 28.

CBI zonal joint director Sharad Agarwal submitted before the court that his death was not accidental.

Agarwal appeared before the division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and said that officers of the agency are working round the clock to uncover the truth behind the incident.

The bench observed that the case has shaken the morale of the judiciary. “Time is the essence of this investigation,” it said. The more time is spent, harder it will be to ascertain the truth, the bench stated.

Agarwal further said that the autorickshaw driver, Lakhan Verma, had earlier committed mobile theft.

“Verma has been changing his statements every now and then, but the agency is doing everything to reach to the depth of the matter,” the CBI zonal joint director said.

The police had initially taken up the investigation into the death case, with the Dhanbad SSP and DGP assuring the court of a speedy inquiry.

The government later decided to recommend a CBI probe into the matter.

The CBI then took up the matter on August 4, with the high court monitoring the progress in its investigation.

The central agency had been submitting sealed reports to the court on the status of the probe into the case.

No New Fact Discovered by CBI in Judge Death Case; Jharkhand HC Unhappy

The investigation has not revealed anything which was not known before, the high court said while hearing a PIL initiated to monitor the probe.

Ranchi: Observing that no new fact has been discovered in the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the death case of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand, the high court of Jharkhand on Thursday expressed annoyance over the slow pace of the probe.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dr. Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad also expressed unhappiness with the lack of manpower at the Forensic Sciences Laboratory and ordered the state home secretary and the FSL director to appear before it on the next date of hearing.

The investigation has not revealed anything which was not known before, the bench said while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) initiated to monitor the probe into the 49-year-old additional district judge’s death after being hit by an auto-rickshaw in Dhanbad town on July 28.

The footage of the incident clearly shows that the auto-rickshaw driver went out of his lane and hit the judge. Even if the driver was inebriated, his intent is clear from the footage, the bench said.

CCTV footage showed that the judge, Uttam Anand, was jogging on one side of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk near the district court early on July 28 when a heavy auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind, and fled the scene.

Some locals found him lying in a pool of blood and took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Dhanbad police seized the vehicle from Giridih district and arrested the auto-rickshaw driver Lakhan Verma and his assistant Rahul Verma.

A special investigation team (SIT) of the state police was probing the case initially. The state government later handed it over to the CBI which started its investigation on August 4.

The central agency on Wednesday doubled its reward to Rs 10 lakh for anyone sharing “information of importance” on the death of the judge.

The CBI has used various scientific tests on the two accused in its bid to solve the mystery.

The bench on Thursday also summoned the home secretary and director of the Forensic Sciences Laboratory to appear before it in the virtual mode on the next date of hearing.

The order came after the court was informed by the Jharkhand Public Services Commission that it had issued advertisements for appointment in the vacant posts of the FSL in March this year. However, the advertisement was cancelled and no fresh advertisement has been issued.

The bench expressed its displeasure over the issue and observed that the government wants to keep the court in the dark.

The high court on September 2 also expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress into the investigation by the CBI into the judge’s death case and lack of workforce in the FSL.

Jharkhand HC Expresses Displeasure at Pace of CBI Probe Into Dhanbad Judge’s Death

A division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad said it appeared that the driver of the heavy autorickshaw had intentionally hit Uttam Anand.

New Delhi: The Jharkhand high court on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the Central Bureau of Investigation’s slow progress in the probe into the death of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad said it appeared that the driver of the heavy autorickshaw had intentionally hit the judge, and asked the central probe agency whether it had interrogated the bike rider who passed by the judge and then left the spot.

The judge’s death had shocked the Supreme Court, with Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana later saying that central agencies are not ‘helping the judiciary at all’, while hearing a suo motu case about providing protection to judges.

Referring to Anand’s death, the CJI said, “Look at the unfortunate case of the death of a young judge. It’s the state’s failure. This area has coal mafias and security should have been provided to the society and residences of judges.”

After the additional district judge was killed early on July 28, grim CCTV footage showed Anand jogging on one side of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk. A vehicle veered towards him, hit him from behind and sped away. This raised suspicions that the killing was intentional and not a case of hit-and-run.

Some locals found Anand lying in a pool of blood and took him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The Jharkhand high court, expressing displeasure over the progress in the investigation, ordered the CBI to furnish a status report of the investigation so far in the case. The court will hear the matter again after a week.

During the hearing, the bench said that the report shows that the auto driver has deliberately hit the judge. “This did not happen suddenly because of intoxication,” the bench said.

The court asked the CBI whether it has questioned the bike rider who passed by the judge after he was hit by the auto and left the spot. The investigating officer of the CBI said that the man was interrogated and released. He claimed to have high blood pressure and told the agency that the sight of blood makes him nervous.

To this, the court asked whether the CBI has examined the documents regarding the man’s medical history. The bench directed CBI to conduct a thorough investigation of the bike rider saying it is necessary as he works in a colliery.

Both the Supreme Court and the high court of Jharkhand had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident.

The Central Bureau of Investigation took over the case on August 4. Five days after that, the apex court directed the central probe agency to file weekly reports to the high court on the progress of the investigation.

During the hearing, the Jharkhand high court also expressed unhappiness over the lack of appointments in the Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) in the state capital. The bench said the Jharkhand Public Services Commission (JPSC) ought to have taken steps to ensure appointments in the FSL.

“Lack of appointments in the FSL has rendered it non-functional,” the bench said.

The court said that posts have been created since 2011 but they are lying vacant for about a decade.

The counsel for the JPSC informed the court that steps are being taken to make appointments in the FSL.

(With PTI inputs)

Dhanbad Judge’s Death: ‘Nothing in CBI Report’, Jharkhand HC CJ to Monitor Probe, Says SC

The SC bench told SG Mehta that it wants “something concrete” from CBI indicating motive or reason behind the Dhanbad judge’s killing.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday, August 9, said the Central Bureau of Investigation’s report on its investigation into the death of a Dhanbad judge does not contain anything on “motive or reason” behind the crime.

The court also said the Jharkhand high court Chief Justice will monitor, weekly, the progress made in the CBI’s probe.

A bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant asked the CBI to file its report weekly with the high court, where the bench headed by the Chief Justice would monitor it.

“There is nothing in the sealed cover,” the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, adding that it wants “something concrete” indicating motive or reason behind the Dhanbad judge’s alleged killing.

The Bench has directed the current suo motu case to be tagged along with another writ petition which was filed with the apex court in 2019 pertaining on the security of judicial officers, LiveLaw has reported.

“This court has taken up the matter to make an attempt to resolve the alarming situation in the county where lawyers and Judicial officers are being terrorised.’ the bench said, according to LiveLaw.

“We expect you all file counter in that also,” the bench told the Union government and state governments.

The top court had on July 30 taken suo motu cognisance of the death of the District and Sessions Judge-8 of Dhanbad court, Uttam Anand, who was mowed down by an auto-rickshaw while on his morning walk. CCTV footage of the auto-rickshaw’s path had suggested motive behind the incident.

The footage showed that the was jogging on one side of a fairly wide and empty road at Randhir Verma Chowk early on July 28 when a heavy auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind and fled the scene.

Locals took him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.

Hearing the case, the CJI-led bench had on August 6 said that the Intelligence Bureau and CBI have not been helping the judiciary at all when it comes to threats made to and verbal abuse of judges and judicial officers.

The bench had described the death of the judge as the “state’s failure.”

‘IB, CBI Not Helping Judiciary at All’: CJI Ramana Slams Inaction Over Threats to Judges

The Supreme Court was hearing a suo motu case on safeguarding courts and protecting judges in the wake of recent incident of the alleged murder of the judge at Dhanbad.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that the Intelligence Bureau and Central Bureau of Investigation have not been helping the judiciary at all when it comes to threats made to and verbal abuse of judges and judicial officers.

A judicial officer does not even have the freedom to make such complaints, the court held.

The apex court said there are several criminal cases involving gangsters and high-profile persons and at some places, judges of the trial courts as well as high courts are being threatened not only physically but also mentally through abusive messages on Whatsapp or Facebook.

“In one or two places, the court ordered CBI inquiry. It is very sorry to say that CBI has done nothing in more than one year. At one place, I know, CBI has done nothing. I think we have expected some changes in CBI’s attitude. But there is no change in the attitude of CBI. I am sorry to observe this but this is the situation,” said Chief Justice N.V. Ramana.

The CJI was heading a bench which also comprised Justice Surya Kant.

The bench told Attorney General K.K. Venugopal that if high-profile persons do not get expected orders from the court in criminal cases, they start maligning the judiciary.

“This is a new trend developed in the country unfortunately. There is no freedom to a judge even to give a complaint. Such a situation is created, said the bench, which was hearing a suo motu case on the issue of safeguarding courts and protecting judges in the wake of recent incident of the alleged murder of the judge at Dhanbad.

District and Sessions Judge-8 of Dhanbad court, Uttam Anand, was out on morning walk on July 28 when he was killed by an auto-rickshaw at Randhir Verma Chowk near the district court in the Sadar police station area.

Special Investigating Team (SIT) investigates the accident spot of Additional District Judge Uttam Anands alleged murder case, in Dhanbad, Saturday, July 31, 2021. Photo: PTI

On July 30, the top court took suo motu cognisance and sought a status report within a week from Jharkhand’s Chief Secretary and the DGP on the probe, saying reports and video clippings suggested it was not a case of simple road accident.

The bench described the death of the judge as the “state’s failure.”

“Look at the unfortunate case of the death of a young judge. It’s the state’s failure. This area has coal mafias and security should have been provided to the society and residences of judges,” the CJI said, according to Indian Express.

The CJI said though judges’ complain to the Chief Justice or the concerned head of the district, when they complain to the police or the CBI or others, these agencies do not respond.

“They think it is not a priority item for them. The IB, CBI they are not helping the judiciary at all. I am making this statement with a sense of responsibility and I know the incident that is the reason I am saying this. I do not want to divulge more than this,” the CJI said.

The bench termed the issue serious and told Venugopal that some interest has to be taken to help the judiciary. Venugopal said judges dealing with criminal cases are very vulnerable and said there has to be safety measures for them.

He added that judges are more vulnerable than bureaucrats who take decisions from within their rooms and that he would file a written note on the issue.

Meanwhile, the bench issued notice to the CBI after it was informed by the Jharkhand government that investigation into the death of the judge in Dhanbad has been handed over to the probe agency.

The apex court also asked all the states to file status reports explaining what security they are providing to judicial officers.

Jharkhand’s advocate general Rajiv Ranjan told the bench that the state had constituted a 22-member special investigation team (SIT) which had arrested the two drivers of the auto-rickshaw which had hit the judge when he was on morning walk on July 28.

Ranjan said the case has now been handed over to the CBI.

“So, you have washed off your hands?” the bench said.

Also read: Dhanbad Judge’s Death: Jharkhand HC Dissatisfied With SIT Probe

To this, Ranjan said SIT had collected several evidence and since the area is a border district with West Bengal, there might be a larger conspiracy and cross-border implications.

“We will hear the Jharkhand matter on Monday (August 9). We are issuing notice to the CBI,” the bench said.

It asked Jharkhand’s counsel whether they have provided adequate security at the residence of judges in the state.

The counsel said orders have been issued and adequate police protection has been provided at the residences and colonies of the judicial officers.

Referring to the Dhanbad incident, the bench said it is an unfortunate case where a young judicial officer lost his life.

“We cannot ignore the state’s negligence. We know in Dhanbad area there are mafias, coal mafias. Advocates were killed, judges were attacked but in spite of that, state has not done anything,” the bench observed.

The state’s counsel apprised the bench about the steps being taken in this regard and also about beefing up of security in court premises by installing more CCTV cameras and having boundary walls.

The bench observed that hardened criminals cannot be stopped by these boundary walls.

During the hearing, the bench told Venugopal that a writ petition was filed in the apex court in 2019 seeking certain directions, including on security in court premises and also to create an environment where the judges can work independently.

“In that case, it appears that government of India has not filed any counter affidavit so far,” the bench said.

When Venugopal said he would look into it, the bench asked him to ensure that counter affidavit is filed so that the court can take a final call in the matter.

The petition filed in 2019 was also taken up for hearing by the bench along with the suo motu case.

The apex court asked the states to file status report regarding security provided to the judges and posted it for hearing on August 17.

(With PTI inputs)

Dhanbad Judge’s Death: Jharkhand HC Dissatisfied With SIT Probe

The court was informed that the CBI is set to take the case over, but questioned why the police were ‘feeding questions’ to the postmortem doctor.

New Delhi: The Jharkhand high court on Tuesday strongly criticised the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that is investigating the alleged murder of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand, saying it was ‘feeding questions’ to the postmortem doctor to get a ‘particular answer’.

The court was hearing the suo motu case into the additional district and sessions judge’s death. Anand was mowed down by an auto-rickshaw while he was on his morning jog on July 28. CCTV footage of the incident showed that the vehicle veered towards him sharply though the road was free of traffic.

According to the Indian Express, the high court noted that while the autopsy report said that the death was “caused by hard and blunt substance due to head injury”, why was the police asking if such injuries are possible due to a fall.

“We have perused the questionnaire framed by the Investigating Officer namely Mr Vinay Kumar… to Dr Kumar Shubhendu, Assistant Professor… SNMMC, Dhanbad: ‘Please explain whether the injuries in the head are possible by fall on road surface or not?’,” the bench of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan observed, according to the newspaper.

The court said if the agency is investigating the reason of death, “how and under what circumstances” are such questions being asked by the investigating officer, “that too when the CCTV footage clarifies the entire scene of occurrence”.

“(The) postmortem report clearly discloses that the fatal injury has been caused by a hard and blunt substance. Thereafter, it is for the Investigating Agency to find out the weapon of crime. Feeding a particular question to the doctor to get a particular answer is not at all appreciated,” the court said, adding that it did not receive any satisfactory answers from the police.

The court was informed on Tuesday that the state government had recommended handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The central agency is likely to issue a notification on Wednesday.

According to the Indian Express, the postmortem report identified the cause of deaths as “diffuse contusion” in the head as well as fracture and blood clots in the protective layer of the brain.

The SIT has so far arrested two persons and seized the autorickshaw which hit the judge. The vehicle was stolen. Additionally, over 200 ‘suspects’ have been detained.

However, the high court was dissatisfied with this, saying “apprehending a pawn” would not serve any purpose and that the “conspiracy” must be unearthed and the “mastermind” must be caught. “Time would be of essence in this investigation. Delay as well as any flaw in the investigation may eventually affect the trial adversely,” the court said, according to reports.

Previous reports had noted that the judge had recently denied bail to members of a criminal gang based in Uttar Pradesh, though the police had said that it was too soon to link Anand’s alleged murder to the denial of bail.

The high court also questioned the police about the delay in the registration of an FIR. According to LiveLaw, it asked when the incident occurred at 5:08 am, why was the FIR was registered at 12:45 pm. The court observed that from the CCTV footage, it was clear that the judge was picked up from the spot and taken to a hospital. “Do the police register an FIR only on the basis of a statement? Do the police not register an FIR on their own? Why did the police take six hours to register the FIR?”, the court asked, according to LiveLaw.

Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand.

CBI to take over the case

With the CBI set to take the case over, the high court directed that the agency to immediately register an FIR and directed the state government to hand over all the documents. The court directed the state government to extend all logistical support to the CBI.

The high court also asked the director-general of police to ensure security is provided to the judicial officers in the state.

Apart from the Jharkhand high court, the Supreme Court has also taken suo motu cognizance of the judge’s death. On July 30, the top court made it clear that it would not interfere with the proceedings in the Jharkhand high court and would instead look into the “larger issue”, such as the steps taken by the state governments to protection judicial officers inside and outside the court premises.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana directed the chief secretary and the director general of police, Jharkhand, to submit a report within a week on the status of the investigation on death of Uttam Anand.

Dhanbad Judge’s Death Case: CM Orders CBI Probe, Cop Suspended for Not Filing FIR on Time

The 49-year-old judge was allegedly mowed down by a heavy autorickshaw while he was on morning jog on July 28 morning in Dhanbad.

New Delhi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has decided to hand over the probe into hit-and-run case of Dhanbad judge to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Meanwhile, the officer-in-charge of Jharkhand’s Pathardih police station, Umesh Manjhi, has been suspended for not registering an FIR on time in connection with the death, reports have said.

An official spokesman said that the chief minister has recommended handing over the probe in the death of District and Sessions court-8 judge Uttam Anand to the premier investigating agency.

The 49-year-old judge was allegedly mowed down by a heavy autorickshaw while he was on morning jog on July 28 morning in Dhanbad.

The Jharkhand government had set up a Special Investigation Team to crack the judge’s death case. After meeting the family members of the judge, Soren had on Friday said the government was serious on the matter and had assured the family that justice will be done.

“It is state government’s priority to complete the investigation of this incident at a speedy pace and provide justice to the family members,” Soren had told the family.

The Supreme Court and also the Jharkhand high court had expressed concerns over the matter and directed the state police to solve the case speedily.

Lawyers across Jharkhand had on Friday abstained from judicial work responding to the call of all 37 bar associations including 24 district bar associations, 12 sub divisional bar associations and the Advocates Association at Jharkhand high court to protest against the judge’s death and an advocate’s murder in the state.

The lawyers had abstained from work to express solidarity and demanded implementation of Advocates Protection Act, he said.

The Supreme Court Friday took suo motu cognisance of the incident.

“We direct the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) of Jharkhand to submit a report in a week’s time on the status of investigation on the sad demise of additional district and sessions Judge Uttam Anand, said the bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana.

Also read: Two Arrested In Connection With Dhanbad Judge’s Death; SC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance

The bench had said it was concerned with the larger issues such as the nature of the incident and the steps taken by the state governments for protection of judicial officers inside and outside the court premises .

Jharkhand’s Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan had on Thursday said, “If at any point of time it appears to the court that the investigation is not heading in the right direction, then the case will be handed over to the CBI.”

CCTV footages showed that the judge was jogging on one side of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk early on Wednesday when a heavy auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind and fled the scene.

Locals took him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors had declared him dead on arrival.

The Jharkhand police had on Thursday arrested two persons, auto drivers, Lakhan Verma and his helper Rahul Verma, in connection with the case.

The arrests were made following the recovery of the three-wheeler involved in the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police, Dhanbad, Sanjiv Kumar, had said, adding the three-wheeler recovered from Giridih is registered in a woman’s name.

A Dhanbad district court had late Thursday night sent the two to five days police custody.

(With PTI inputs)

Two Arrested In Connection With Dhanbad Judge’s Death; SC Takes Suo Motu Cognizance

The top court said that it is concerned with the “larger issue” of the nature of the incident and the steps taken by the state governments to protect judicial officers inside and outside the court premises.

New Delhi: Two persons were arrested on Thursday in connection with the ‘hit-and-run’ case in Dhanbad which killed judge Uttam Anand during his morning jog.

The arrests were made following the recovery of the three-wheeler involved in the incident, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Dhanbad, Sanjiv Kumar, told news agency PTI.

CCTV footage showed that Anand, the district and sessions judge-8 of the Dhanbad court, was jogging on one side of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk early on Wednesday when a heavy auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind and fled the scene. This raised concerns that it was not a hit-and-run case and that the auto may have rammed him deliberately.

Locals took him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival.

According to sources in the Dhanbad court, Anand, known to be a strict judge, had recently declined the bail pleas of some gangsters. Police have said it is too soon to link this decision with the hit-and-run case.

“We have arrested two persons, auto driver Lakhan Verma and his helper Rahul Verma, on Thursday morning. Rahul Verma, a resident of Digwadih, Dhanbad, was arrested from a tempo stand, while the other person was held in Giridih,” the SSP told PTI.

He also said that the three-wheeler, recovered from Giridih, is registered in a woman’s name.

Police sources told The Hindu that the auto-rickshaw was stolen at around 2 am on Wednesday. The judge was hit at around 5 am.

An FIR was filed in the case after the wife of the 49-year-old deceased judged lodged a complaint with the Dhanbad Police. “We are probing the case from all angles, including murder,” Kumar asserted.

A special investigation team (SIT), led by Dhanbad SP R. Ramkumar, has been constituted to investigate the case.

A five-member forensic team visited the site of the incident on Thursday to collect samples necessary for the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Dhanbad Bar Association here claimed that Anand, who hailed from Hazaribag, was murdered and demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

All lawyers of the Dhanbad Bar Association will take out a silent procession on Friday in protest against the murder of the judge and demand protection for lawyers from the government, said its president Amarendra Sahay.

Condemning the incident, the Jharkhand Bar Council member Hemant Sikarwa demanded a CBI probe into the case.

Earlier in the day, the Jharkhand high court ordered an SIT probe into the death of Anand, under the leadership of the additional director general of police Sanjay Latkar.

Taking cognizance of a letter filed before the court by the Dhanbad principal district judge in the case, Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan converted it into a writ petition and ordered the formation of the SIT.

He said the Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana has spoken to him regarding the matter and expressed confidence that a fair investigation will be carried out in the case.

The high court stated it will monitor the probe and sought updates from the SIT from time to time.

If at any point in time it appears to the court that the investigation is not heading in the right direction, then the case will be handed over to the CBI, the chief justice added.

Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance

On Friday, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the judge’s killing. According to LiveLaw, a bench headed by CJI Ramana directed the chief secretary and director general of police, Jharkhand, to submit a report on the status of the inquiry into judge Anand’s death within a week.

The suo moto case is titled “In Re Safeguarding Courts and Protecting Judges (Death of Additional Sessions Judge, Dhanbad).

The report said that the top court made it clear that it is aware the Jharkhand HC is “seized of the matter” and this suo motu cognisance will not interfere in the proceedings before that court.

According to LiveLaw, the bench said it is concerned with the “larger issue” of the nature of the incident and the steps taken by the state governments to protect judicial officers inside and outside the court premises.

The bench observed similar incidents are happening across the country and the issue “requires a larger consideration for a detailed examination” of the protection of judicial officers and the interests of the legal fraternity.

(With PTI inputs)